Chapter 76: Straight Shooter Seo Min-young

“Wow, Seo Min-young, you really go for it! No holding back.”

The senior at the same table looked up at Seo Min-young, exclaiming in admiration.

Right! Seo Min-young. That’s her name.

Hold on, but what’s with the ‘going for it’?

“Sunbae-nim, mind if I sit here for a bit?”

She pulled up a chair and smoothly joined the group.

Those guys are all the same. As soon as a pretty girl comes along, they all grin like idiots and make space.

It’s true what they say, a woman’s beauty is a man’s biggest weakness.

“Want a drink?”

When the senior offered his glass, Seo Min-young accepted it with both hands and tilted her own slightly.

“Just half a glass, please. I need to get back to the library.”

“Oh! You’re preparing for the bar exam, so you’re different. Going full speed ahead without even the semester ending or vacation, huh? But do you even have time to be here?”

There it is again. ‘Going for it’!

Guess they call students rushing towards the bar exam ‘going for it’.

“Sunbae-nims, from my perspective, you guys don’t have time to be doing this either. If it’s the civil service exam, you can prepare for about two years, right? The bar exam… no one can guarantee anything, so you should each make your own decisions.”

Huh? What’s she suddenly talking about? Is it about the IMF crisis?

“Hey! Seo Min-young! What are you randomly bringing that up for?”

“Weren’t you busy sunbae-nims trying to confirm something with Do-jun? About the state of companies, when this terrible financial crisis will end… or am I wrong?”

Oh? She’s pretty sharp.

I thought she just had a good head for studying, got into law school, and was a model student focused solely on becoming a judge, according to the seniors.

But she’s also quick to figure out why the seniors are gathered here and knows how the world is turning.

Even if she becomes a prosecutor, she won’t have to worry about her performance.

“Right now, even the Seoul National University name doesn’t mean much. Everyone graduating is gloomy, saying the outside world is a biting cold wind. And they say that cold wind won’t subside easily. We’re the lucky ones in a way. Since we studied law, the civil service exam isn’t that difficult.”

The seniors started looking back and forth between Seo Min-young, who said the same thing as me, and me.

“You two, are you dating? Do you go on dates and debate Korean economic issues or something?”

When one senior joked, the guys next to him shouted.

“That’s not it! No, that can’t be it. Do-jun isn’t even from this planet. There’s no way an alien and our Min-young would be dating.”

“Hey! Min-young-ah. You said you didn’t like guys who showed off their strength, and you lost your appetite around guys who bragged about money, right? Do-jun here has both money and power. Snap out of it.”

“Jin Do-jun. You should go back to your world. Meet some heiress from another chaebol family, or a celebrity… you should meet girls like that.”

This doesn’t sound like a joke. Flames are practically shooting from the eyes of my classmates.

Seo Min-young finished her drink and casually wiped her lips.

“Why are you guys overreacting? I’ve only seen Do-jun three times since I started school. Dating? Who’s dating who…?”

“Right? Well, there’s no time or opportunity. Do-jun doesn’t come to school, and Min-young only goes between the library and lecture hall, so dating is impossible, for sure.”

The sparks disappeared from their eyes.

It was funny and also a little envious listening to them talk.

The saying that the mind controls the body is used in other situations, but it applies to my case too. With the mind of a middle-aged man whose romantic feelings have dried up, these kids’ little squabbles just look cute.

Sometimes the male hormones in my body surge, but the stress from work suppresses them.

“Okay, I saw your faces, I’m going now.”

Seo Min-young got up, wrapping her scarf around her neck.

“And Do-jun, you come with me for a second. I have something to tell you.”

“Me? Why?”

I barely managed to hide my surprise.

Why does she suddenly barge in like that without any warning? I understand how those seniors felt a moment ago.

“I have something to get straight with you.”

“Hey, Seo Min-young! You’re not thinking of anything weird, are you?”

One of my classmates shouted at the expressionless Seo Min-young, but her face didn’t change.

“Hey! Wanna try me?”

Feeling amused, I followed Seo Min-young outside without saying anything.

“Ugh… it’s cold. What is it? What do you want to get straight?”

“I’m saying this while swallowing my pride, so think carefully before you answer.”

“Okay.”

I answered a bit nonchalantly, trying to play along with the young girl, and Seo Min-young bit her lip as if sensing my mood.

“What? Hurry up and say it.”

“Passing the bar exam before graduation is my goal and my duty.”

“I understand the goal part, but what’s with the duty?”

“Everyone in my family is in the legal profession. And most of them passed before graduating. If I don’t pass before graduating, my whole family will start nagging me. So, I absolutely have to pass.”

According to what Manager Kim Yoon-suk investigated, her family has a lot of prosecutors and court judges, right?

But most of them passed before graduating… that’s unexpected.

“So, it’s even tougher than a high school senior’s life? Honestly, I don’t have time.”

“What time?”

“Time to date you.”

“What?”

Is this how kids are these days? Is she just being honest, or is she being audacious?

“That’s your reaction to a confession that I like you?”

“You said you don’t like guys who show off their strength or brag about money, right? I have both.”

“But you’re handsome.”

“What?”

“You only have one reaction. ‘What?'”

She mimicked my tone and then let out a short sigh.

“My grandmother told me. A man’s looks are the most important thing. If a man is handsome, you can forgive him even when you’re angry.”

“So? You’re going to follow your grandmother’s advice?”

“No, it’s because I agree one hundred percent. I’m really weak when it comes to men’s appearances.”

I chuckled in disbelief, and Seo Min-young smiled brightly. She is kind of cute.

“Let’s get back to the main point… Anyway, I don’t have time, and you don’t come to school often, so let’s just agree to have dinner together once or twice a month.”

“Agree to what?”

“Our dates.”

This time, I couldn’t even laugh.

Is she so focused on studying that she doesn’t know how men and women play the push-and-pull game? Or is she just too honest?

As I didn’t answer, she stared at me intently and said.

“Think carefully before you answer. Being honest is good, but if you refuse, I’ll hold a grudge. People say if a woman holds a grudge, frost will fall in the fifth month, but I’m a bit different.”

“How are you different?”

“I’ll become a prosecutor and raid all the accounts under your name. If I find any traces of illegal gifting, you’ll be wearing handcuffs and seeing me in the interrogation room, you know?”

“Was that a joke to make me laugh because you’re embarrassed right now?”

“Not good? Not funny? I spent three or four hours thinking about that line….”

Seo Min-young started staring at me intently again.

It’s not easy to handle the gaze of a pretty woman like this.

“Don’t look at me like that. My heart’s racing.”

She blinked, not understanding my words, and then finally smiled brightly.

She’s a bit slow on the uptake sometimes.

“You know my number, right?”

Seo Min-young nodded her head vigorously.

“Call me. I’ll send a car.”

“A car? What kind of car?”

“A car to pick you up. Did you forget? I’m a third-generation chaebol. Our dates won’t be ordinary, so brace yourself. I’m going in.”

As I lightly tapped Seo Min-young’s shoulder and turned to go back, she said urgently.

“This is a secret! If the others ask, say I was getting on your case for skipping the group project.”

I smiled and subtly waved my hand before heading back into the pub.

Back at the table, the male students’ eyes were anything but friendly.

“What was that about? What did she say?”

“What else? She was going on about me ditching the group project… for a while….”

Just then, the door suddenly opened, and Seo Min-young poked her head in.

“Starting today, I’m dating Jin Do-jun!”

She shouted those words loudly, and then her face disappeared.

Seriously! How does that girl’s thought process even work?

Didn’t she just say to keep it a secret? Not even a minute has passed.

The gazes of the male students, looking at my pale face as if they wanted to kill me, were fixed on me.

“Hahaha. That’s her going for it. That’s so Min-young.”

One of the seniors clutched his stomach and laughed.

Ah…!

I think I roughly understand what ‘going for it’ means.

* * *

“Hotels, department stores, resorts, golf courses. This is by no means a small amount. Look at other groups. They only have one or two department stores or golf courses at most. That’s the share a daughter gets. There’s a reason they say a married daughter is an outsider.”

“That’s why she’s going into politics. She wants to make up for what she lacks with power.”

“Lacks? Ha, really.”

Chairman Jin was speechless at Jin Seo-yoon’s greed.

It was largely his fault for spoiling his only daughter too much.

Assemblyman Choi carefully observed Chairman Jin’s expression and spoke.

“There won’t be any issues you’re worried about. She won’t look towards the company and will grow in politics.”

Seeing the man who was completely controlled by his wife’s apron strings claim he would grow in the harsh political arena made him look even more pathetic.

Chairman Jin ignored his son-in-law and spoke, looking only at his daughter.

“The opposition party has taken power. The ruling and opposition parties have switched. It won’t be easy to win the election running as an opposition party candidate.”

“I’m more afraid of Father than the opposition party that seized power.”

Seeing his daughter smile sweetly softened his heart. Though she was old, she was still his cute only daughter in Chairman Jin’s eyes.

But what needs to be cut must be cut, and what needs to be protected must be protected.

Moreover, he had obtained the Achilles’ heel that his bright grandson had created.

“Everyone, come in!”

When Chairman Jin shouted towards the study door, half a dozen men in their thirties and forties entered.

They bowed deeply to Chairman Jin and then took seats at the conference table.

Jin Seo-yoon’s expression grew brighter. She knew who these people were.

They were the people who formulated strategies for the candidates who supported big corporations during elections. Their affiliation was the Soonyang Economic Research Institute, but they excelled at reading the political landscape rather than the economy.

Politics is a living thing that changes every moment. They were highly capable individuals who could accurately read the flow of those changes, revise strategies, and possess the insight to accurately grasp the changes in voters.

These shadows received enormous annual salaries comparable to presidents of subsidiaries and were solely responsible for elections.

“Starting today, these friends will help Husband Choi. Since you’ve decided to run, you have to win.”

Jin Seo-yoon nudged her husband, who didn’t know what was going on, and he hurriedly bowed his head.

“Thank you, Father-in-law. I will definitely win and repay your kindness.”

Chairman Jin nodded lightly and said to his son-in-law.

“Can you take responsibility for those words?”

“Of course. To me, Father-in-law, you are no different from my own father. How could I have any other thoughts?”

Chairman Jin chuckled at his son-in-law’s sweet words and tossed two file folders onto the table in front of him.

“What’s this…?”

As Assemblyman Choi looked puzzled, Jin Seo-yoon quickly snatched the files and opened them.

“One is a list of useful people for the Seoul City Deputy Mayor for Political Affairs and heads of Seoul City affiliated organizations. I especially picked out the people to place in the Urban Infrastructure Headquarters, Public Facilities Corporation, and Housing & Communities Corporation.”

“Ah, Father.”

Jin Seo-yoon looked at Chairman Jin, flustered, but he ignored her gaze and continued.

“I wrote down a few things that you can use for your campaign pledges. Those friends will let you know when to announce them.”

Wasn’t this his way of saying he would seize control of Seoul City with Chairman Jin’s people?

The campaign promises weren’t the Seoul mayor’s ideas but promises for the Soonyang Group.

This was a plan to completely make him a puppet.

“Well, Father-in-law. There are people I need to take care of too, and our party will also recommend people. Those people….”

“I’ll take care of that, so don’t worry. They’ll prefer going to work at the Soonyang Group headquarters rather than a Seoul City government position.”

Assemblyman Choi closed his mouth at the implication that the positions of power would be filled by Chairman Jin’s people, and in return, they would give out well-paid positions.

Anger surged, but he had to hold back because of the look his wife was giving him.

Assemblyman Choi knew very well that now was the time to obediently follow orders.

The counterattack would come after he had power in his hands.